Expect the Unexpected
by sweetvolcano
Summary: After being promised a life of luxury, riches, and guarantee of their names not being put into the reaping bowl ever again, Annie and Finnick are content with their lives together in District Four...but when President Snow announces news about the Quarter Quell, how will they react? WIll they fall apart or find thier way? R&R :) ONE-SHOT


"Annie. Annie, wake up." She looked like an angel in her sleep…not that she didn't always look like an angel, but there was something special about Annie's sleeping form. The way her beautiful brown locks cascaded down her back, flowing freely, the way her skin practically glowed in the dim light that their room provided, the way her lips were slightly tilted upwards in a small smile, the way she breathed, even steady breaths; she personified perfect. If anyone could hear the way he was thinking, they'd wonder what in devil's name had gotten into Finnick Odair. Tough. Muscular. Finnick Odair. He couldn't help it. It broke his heart to wake her up; she'd been crying her eyes out all of yesterday:

_They'd both been watching television, not that they wanted to but, Mags had ordered them to do something besides swim, so this was their alternative. Annie was curled into Finnick's side on the couch, her head tucked under his chin, her arm around his torso, his around her waist and Finnick had draped a blanket over the both of them to keep the cold Capitol air out of their way. _

_Interrupting the pathetic (in Finnick's opinion) fashion show, a fairly large-bellied, white-haired, white-gloved, and white-suited man appeared on the television screen; President Snow, his swollen, red lips curled up into a vicious sneer making it look like he'd just had a bowlful of blood for breakfast. The only thing that wasn't white about this wretched man was a rose in his left breast pocket which stood out like a sore thumb compared to the rest of his attire._

_Finnick and Annie shared a look; one of trouble and fear. Annie gripped Finnick's forearm and gazed into his blazing green eyes. Finnick placed his hand on the back of her neck and gently pushed her head into his chest, leaning down to whisper in her ear._

"_He can't do one thing to us, Annie. Don't you worry. They decide to take you, then they've gotta put up with me first, remember?" he could feel her body shift closer to his, whether from the harsh winter breeze or the lingering fear he did not know, but he guessed the latter. _

"_In honor of our 75__th__ Quarter Quell, I've decided, with the help of my fellow Gamemaker, that this year we shall choose our tributes by recasting the names of already crowned, existing victors." The rest of the words coming out of the president's mouth were either not able to be heard or ignored by Finnick and Annie. _

"_Finnick?" Annie's voice came out as a throaty whisper. Finnick was lost. He still hadn't completely processed what the president had said. They were going to choose tributes from existing victors? What the hell did that mean? The answer hit him like a hundred bricks at the same time. He looked down at Annie who was already sobbing hysterically, clutching the front of his shirt, her tears dropping ever so gracefully onto it. It meant they were going back in the arena. _

"Finn, are you okay?" Annie had woken with puffy eyes and sat on cross-legged on their bed. She looked up at Finnick expectantly. Well, we've found out that we're going to be thrown mercilessly into the arena for a second time not twenty four hours ago, both of us are going to have to compete which has got Finnick's head in a loop, we've been weeping like five-year olds since yesterday, and he was immensely hungry. What an absurd question. But, Annie was just being Annie so he answered her question the only way he could.

He took Annie in his arms, bridal style, and carried her to the kitchen. She was giggling all the way there and he was grinning at her. Anyone who had eyes could see that they were hopelessly in love. He set her down on the counter and tapped her nose with one finger.

"Miss. Cresta, what would be worthy of being served for your breakfast on this fine morning?" he asked her in a ridiculous Capitol accent, hoping to be rewarded with her melodic laughter. He wasn't disappointed.

"I would like, if you don't mind Mr. Odair, to be served an omelet with onions, green pepper and no yolk please. Oh, and don't forget the orange juice!" she replied as she got down from the counter just to be pulled back by a strong pair of arms. Annie shrieked as Finnick stood behind her, arms wrapped around her stomach, chin on her shoulder.

"And where do you think you're going, Miss. Cresta?" his voice was low, flirtatious.

"Um…back to bed?" her voice was soft, playful.

"Oh no, you don't." he lifted her up once more and brought her back to the kitchen, "You are going to help your desperate, hot, and handsome fiancé in the kitchen."

"Okay. What do you want me to do first my desperate, hot, handsome fiancé?" Annie smiled to herself as Finnick told her to crack two eggs. She went over to the fridge to get the egg carton. Just as she closed the fridge door, carton in hand, she spotted a few loafs of bread on the table. Not just any bread, District Four bread, tinted green at the bottom. Seaweed. A million thoughts threatened to swarm her head, invading her mind with memories from the past. Her past that Finnick had helped her escape.

She dropped the carton of eggs and slide to the kitchen floor. Finnick turned around, his easy-going smile replaced by two worried eyes. He also dropped the knife that he was using to cut the onions and dropped to the floor beside Annie. She was clutching her ears with her hands and rocking back and forth in a fatal position, knees close to her chest.

Finnick pried her hands from her ears, shook her by the shoulders and pleaded, "Annie. Annie, please. What happened? Annie, I'm here. Sshhh…it's going to be okay." He couldn't stop the tears from coming. His brave exterior was cracking.

Annie shook her head furiously back and forth and screamed out, "They promised Finnick! They promised we wouldn't have to go back!" she whispered the last part, "They promised."

"They say a lot of things Annie, but they lie. We can't do anything about it. They might break their promises but I won't. Annie Cresta, I promise you, you will make it home. You'll come home to Mags and live happily ever after, okay?" All the anger, frustration, and rage that had filled Finnick was replaced with desperation and hope that maybe he could get Annie home safely.

"Finnick, I can never be home…" Annie stared into Finnick's eyes that so perfectly matched hers and thought about what it would be like to live without this man.

"What do you mean, Annie?" he had this frantic desire to know what she meant.

"Home is where the heart is, Finnick. My heart's with you. Without you, there is no home for me." What had those monsters done to this poor woman, thought Finnick.

"Sshhh…I'm here now, right? Oh, Annie. I love you so much…so much, Annie." He couldn't bear the thought of being ripped from Annie any longer.

"Love you too Finn, to the moon and back." Annie flung her arms around Finnick's neck as he pressed tender kisses to the top her head, cheek, neck, forehead. They sat that way, on the kitchen floor for an hour…two…three, as Finnick ran his hands up and down Annie's arms, trying to rid the goosebumps that wouldn't seem to leave.

Finnick looked down at Annie to see that she was fast asleep. Her hands curled into fists resting on his chest, wisps of her hair landed on her face that Finnick took into his duty to brush away, and a slight drool was oozing out from her slightly parted mouth, onto Finnick's shirt. He sighed, placed a soft kiss on the hands around his neck and carried her upstairs to bed. He laid her down, turned off the lights, cocooned into her side, placed a kiss to her hair and whispered,

"Goodnight, Annie. Don't let the bedbugs bite." It was faint, but he thought her heard Annie whisper back, "I won't, Finn…"

The night consisted of never-ending nightmares and Annie woke up twice to the sound of mutant sharks swallowing her and Finnick whole. Beads of sweat were drowning Annie as Finnick tried to calm her down.

"It was only a dream, it was only a dream. It's not going to happen. I'm right here. No sharks. See, I'm fine. You're fine. Deep breath, that's it. That's my girl. It was only a dream." He kept whispering incoherent words in her ear and stroking her back until she calmed down the slightest. But as Finnick made a move to get off the bed to get her some warm milk, she broke into a frenzy of fear.

"Finnick! No! Don't leave! Finnick, please don't leave me here! Please, Finnick! I'll do anything! Just don't go! Please! Finnick!" She was uncontrollable, and no matter what he seemed to do, Finnick could not set her right.

"Annie…ssshhh. I wasn't going anywhere. I wasn't going anywhere, I swear. I'm not going to leave you." He pleaded with her.

"Yes! Yes you were, you were going to leave! You were going to feed me to the sharks, I know! How could you?" Finnick closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. Why would I feed her to the sharks? It's like she doesn't even remember me at all, he thought. Finnick laid Annie down, she was flailing and thrashing, pinned her arms above her head with one hand, and placed another on top of her mouth. That wasn't such a good idea, because fragile or not, Annie was a victor and he took a knee to the stomach and a bite to the hand that covered her mouth.

Finnick let out a yelp. Though she was tough, her petite body wasn't anywhere near Finnick's broad shoulders and toned arms. He pinned her down again and before she could scream he started to sing.

_Hush, little baby, don't say a word,  
Papa's gonna buy you a mockingbird_.

As he sang, Annie stopped thrashing and stared into Finnick's sea green eyes,

_And if that mockingbird don't sing,  
Papa's gonna buy you a diamond ring._

_And if that diamond ring turn brass,  
Papa's gonna buy you a looking glass._

Finnick let go of the hold he had on Annie but continued to sing,

_And if that looking glass gets broke,  
Papa's gonna buy you a billy goat._

_And if that billy goat don't pull,  
Papa's gonna buy you a cart and bull._

At this point, Annie was pressed into Finnick's side closing her eyes,

_And if that cart and bull turn over,  
Papa's gonna buy you a dog named Rover._

_And if that dog named Rover won't bark.  
Papa's gonna to buy you a horse and cart._

Finnick could hear Annie's steady breaths so he sang the last stanza to himself,

_And if that horse and cart fall down,  
Well you'll still be the sweetest little baby in town._

It was an old lullaby that many families sang to their children in District Four, and Finnick remembered Annie telling him that her father used to sing it to her as a little girl whenever she'd wake from a particularly bad dream. The rest of the night was peaceful, but the thought of being thrown back into the arena with Annie loomed over head.

The morning sunlight shone through their bedroom window and woke Finnick. He could feel Annie's stare burning into his face.

"You're staring." He stated.

"I'm _gazing_." She replied.

Finnick took a peek at Annie and covered his face.

"It's creepy." He said.

"It's _romantic_." She said.

With that, the pair of them burst into a bundle of joy, laughter and smiles. But there was still one thing on Annie's mind, "Finnick?"

"Yeah?" his smile morphed into a face full of worry as he spotted the serious look on her face.

"What about my omelet?" Dead silence.

"Annie Cresta, don't you dare scare me like that _again_! As your punishment, you will be tickled to your death by Finnick Odair." Annie let out a girlish squeal as Finnick kept up his side of the deal and chased her around the house, both temporarily oblivious to the treacherous battle they were about to face.


End file.
